MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 411 



THE SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN HORTICUL- 

 TURAL SOCIETY. 



HELD AT CLEVELAND, O., SEPT. 7, 8, 9 AND 10. 

 • 



[From the American Horticulturist.] 



It was a body of very substantial appearing- gentlemen that met in 

 the Board of Trade rooms, Tuesday, Sept. 7, in the city of Cleveland, at 

 the seventh annual meeting of the American Horticultural Society. This 

 society is an outgrowth of the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society 

 that was organized seven years ago by the leading fruit and flower 

 growers and scientists of twenty States. Last year the name was 

 changed, and the society became national, including in its membership 

 leading citizens of evory State in the Union and Canada, and for the 

 first time a northern city was chosen as the place of meeting this year. 

 They were men of all ages, and a larger number of middle or old age, 

 with the evidences of health which nature gives those who commune 

 much with her. They looked independent and well-to-do. Several 

 ladies were present, and delegates were there from all parts of the 

 Union. One delegate from Japan was also in attendance. 



A paper was read from Mr, George Husmann, of Napa, Cal., on 

 the past, present and future of grape culture in California. 



Mr. Husmann stated that in the infancy of the business, grapes 

 were grown in the valley, while now vineyards look down from the 

 mountains, being less susceptible there to the frost. The writer men- 

 tioned the cosmopolitan state of the grape growing population, Eng- 

 land, France, Germany and other European countries having furnished 

 young and energetic grape growers^. The wines of California are now 

 competing with the best wines of the world, the brandies vie with 

 French cognac, and the raisins with London layers. The wine yield 

 this year will reach 20,000,000 gallons. With grape land at $50 to $100 

 an acre, and with an outlay of $100 more per acre on the land, the 

 grapes, five tons to the acre, at $20 or even $15 a ton, makes the busi- 

 ness profitable. 



